Selling a dead or junk car in Washington, Utah

The nuisance list in 5-3-3

Section 5-3-3 gives five general definitions of a nuisance, then specific examples. Three of the examples reach a dead car:

• "Parking or storage of inoperative, unregistered, abandoned, wrecked or dismantled vehicles, boats, trailers or vehicle parts, including recreational vehicles, on a premises or in the public right of way."
• Keeping "stripped or junked vehicles, vehicle accessories" on the premises "for an unreasonable period of time," with licensed junkyards excepted.
• An unreasonable pile of junk or salvage materials "visible from the street or an adjoining property."

Notice the first one lists "unregistered" right next to "inoperative." So a Washington car that starts fine but sits unregistered still counts.

The six-month line in 9-14-18

Section 9-14-18 sits in the landscaping rules. It says no junk, rubbish or unsightly conditions, "including motor vehicles in an inoperable condition for more than six (6) months, shall be permitted on any lot, right of way or easement." Read it next to 5-3-3, not instead of it: the six months is one rule's limit, not a free pass under the other.

Parking a car that runs, barely

The nuisance list also names "Parking or storage of registered vehicles, trailers or boats longer than forty eight (48) hours in accordance with subsection 5-2-3I." Shuffling the car does not help. Under 5-2-3, a vehicle moved and parked again "on the same block face within twenty four (24) hours" counts as continuously parked. An officer who finds a car parked in violation may move it, or make the person in charge move it, off the main part of the street.

Title work from Washington

Utah's Motor Vehicle Division issues titles statewide. We checked the one in Hurricane at 100 South 5300 West, phone 1-800-DMV-UTAH (800-368-8824). It is about 5 miles northeast in a straight line.

On the title itself: no notary. Where the owners are listed with AND, all sign; OR needs one. A Utah seller has 48 hours to hand over the title. The TC-891 mileage form is required unless the car is 20 model years old or more. Washington County has no emissions testing, so there is no emission certificate to find. Lost title? Form TC-123 has a section that signs ownership over to the buyer directly, so there is no need to order your own copy; see car sitting for years if the paperwork has gone stale with the car.

Unscrew the plate before the car leaves unless the buyer is getting it too, because tickets tied to that plate could come back to you. Last, close out your side with the DMV: TC-502 on paper, the MVP portal online, a signed letter, or 1-800-DMV-UTAH.

Nearby

St. George is 6 miles away and Hurricane about 7. Utah has the full state rules.

Getting an offer

Call (877) 421-6008 or go online and tell us about the car. We want its model and year, the mileage, if the engine cranks, and who has the title. We bring the truck to the side yard, the gravel pad by the shed, or wherever it quit.